Burundi president confirms will seek third term

[WorldNews]

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Burundi's President Pierre Nkurunziza insisted Wednesday he would run for a third term in an election in June, defying international pressure to change his mind in a crisis that has sparked deadly protests. A day after the Constitutional Court ruled he could stand for another term, Nkurunziza said it would be "the last mandate" he would seek, and offered to release those jailed during the recent unrest if the opposition movement ends its protests. "If the people of Burundi put their trust in us, it will be the last mandate I seek, as determined by the Constitutional Court," Nkurunziza added. The speech came a day after the Constitutional Court cleared his bid to stay in power after its vice-president fled citing "enormous pressure and even death threats" from senior figures to rubberstamp the president's candidature.

 

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